University of Stellenbosch (SU)
Stellenbosch University (SU) is deeply committed to advancing knowledge, conducting cutting-edge research, and fostering innovation for the betterment of society. We have established a world-class center for learning and development that maintains global relevance while prioritizing the empowerment and progress of our local communities. Our endeavors are guided by fundamental values and qualities, facilitated by exceptional faculty and students, robust operational structures, and a profound sense of purpose.
SU is home to a diverse academic community, with over 32,500 students, including more than 3,700 international students from 104 different countries. Our staff comprises 4,658 permanent and fixed-term contract members, including 1,393 academic professionals.
Spread across five campuses in South Africa’s Western Cape province, SU encompasses ten faculties covering a wide array of disciplines, along with specialized entities such as the School for Climate Studies, the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, and the Stellenbosch Business School.
Official data from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in 2022 ranks SU among South Africa’s top three research-intensive universities, both in terms of research output per capita and total research output. Our university currently boasts a record 20 A-rated researchers, with nine new A-ratings achieved in the 2021 assessment cycle.
Furthermore, SU hosts 44 research chairs, comprising 23 under the DSI-NRF SARChI program and 21 supported by endowments or industry funding. This marks a significant increase from the 16 chairs in 2012 and underscores the substantial contribution of research chairs to SU’s research outputs, impact, and revenue as a thriving research-intensive institution.
The number of postdoctoral fellows has also experienced substantial growth, rising from 154 in 2012 to over 340 registered postdoctoral research fellows at SU in 2022. This expansion highlights SU’s commitment to nurturing and supporting emerging scholars in their research pursuits.